Toothbrush Storage Assembly

ABSTRACT

A toothbrush storage assembly for storing a toothbrush includes a pad that is comprised of a hydrophobic material to inhibit fluids from adhering to the pad. A lip is coupled to the pad to inhibit fluid from spilling off of the pad. A plurality of bristles is each coupled to and extends upwardly from the pad and a toothbrush can be scrubbed on the bristles for cleaning the toothbrush. The plurality of bristles is arranged to define on open area on the pad which accommodates a base of the toothbrush when the toothbrush is stood on the pad for storage.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM.

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR Not Applicable BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention.

The disclosure relates to storage devices and more particularly pertains to a new storage device for storing a toothbrush. The device includes a pad comprised of a hydrophobic material and a plurality of bristles that each extends upwardly from the pad.

The bristles are arranged to define an open area that is centrally positioned on the pad. A toothbrush is positionable on the pad for storage such that a base of the toothbrush is positioned in the open area. In this way residual fluid on the toothbrush collects on the pad, rather than on a support surface such as a vanity or the like.

(2) Description of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.

The prior art relates to storage devices including a tubular toothbrush holder with a suspension element. The prior art discloses a toothbrush holder which includes a canister having a foraminous lid for receiving bases of toothbrushes and a drain integrated into the canister for draining fluid from the toothbrushes. The prior art discloses an absorbent pad with an aperture for insertably receiving a base of a toothbrush. The prior art discloses an absorbent pad that can be positioned on a charging base of an electric toothbrush for absorbing fluid that runs off of the electric toothbrush.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a pad that is comprised of a hydrophobic material to inhibit fluids from adhering to the pad. A lip is coupled to the pad to inhibit fluid from spilling off of the pad. A plurality of bristles is each coupled to and extends upwardly from the pad and a toothbrush can be scrubbed on the bristles for cleaning the toothbrush. The plurality of bristles is arranged to define on open area on the pad which accommodates a base of the toothbrush when the toothbrush is stood on the pad for storage.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a toothbrush storage assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a bottom phantom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1 of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new storage device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5 , the toothbrush storage assembly 10 generally comprises a pad 12 that is comprised of a hydrophobic material, including but not being limited to, silicone or rubber, to inhibit fluids from adhering to the pad 12. The pad 12 has a top surface 14, a bottom surface 16 and a perimeter edge 18 extending between the top surface 14 and the bottom surface 16, and the perimeter edge 18 has a plurality of intersecting sides 20 such that the pad 12 has a rectangular shape. The pad 12 may have a length and a width ranging between approximately 4.0 inches and 6.0 inches.

A lip 22 is coupled to the pad 12 to inhibit fluid from spilling off of the pad 12. The lip 22 extends upwardly from the top surface 14 of the pad 12 and the lip 22 is aligned with the perimeter edge 18 of the pad 12. The lip 22 extends along a full length of each of the intersecting sides 20 of the perimeter edge 18. A plurality of bristles 24 is each coupled to and extends upwardly from the pad 12. Furthermore, a toothbrush 26 can be scrubbed on the bristles 24 for cleaning the toothbrush 26. The toothbrush 26 may be an electric toothbrush, a manual toothbrush or any other type of toothbrush that would commonly be employed for dental hygiene.

The plurality of bristles 24 is arranged to define on open area 28 on the pad 12 to accommodate a base 29 of the toothbrush 26 when the toothbrush 26 is stood on the pad 12 for storage. Each of the bristles 24 extends upwardly from the top surface 14 of the pad 12. The plurality of bristles 24 has a boundary 30 which is inset from the lip 22 such that the boundary 30 defines the open area 28 of the pad 12. The boundary 30 has a plurality of intersecting sides 32 and each of the intersecting sides 32 of the boundary 30 is oriented parallel with a respective one of the intersecting sides 20 of the perimeter edge 18 of the pad 12 such that the boundary 30 defines a rectangular shape. Moreover, the rectangular shape defined by the boundary 30 is centrally positioned on the pad 12. In this way bristles 24 surround the base 29 of the toothbrush 26 when the base 29 of the toothbrush 26 is positioned in the rectangular shape defined by the boundary 30.

Each of the bristles 24 on the pad has a distal end 36 with respect to the top surface 14 of the pad 12 and the distal end 36 of each of the bristles 24 on the pad 12 is tapered to a point. Each of the bristles 24 on the pad 12 is comprised of a deformable material, including but not being limited to, silicone or rubber. In this way the plurality of bristles 24 on the pad 12 resist deforming bristles 38 on a head 40 of the toothbrush 26 when the bristles 38 on the head 40 of the toothbrush 26 are scrubbed on the bristles 24 on the pad 12. Each of the bristles 24 on the pad 12 may have a length ranging between approximately 0.05 inches and 1.0 inches.

In use, the pad 12 is positioned on a vanity or other surface in a bathroom, for example, or other location where the toothbrush 26 would commonly be employed. The toothbrush 26 is scrubbed on the bristles 24 to clean the toothbrush 26 after the toothbrush 26 has been employed for brushing teeth and the toothbrush 26 is subsequently stood on the bristles 24 having the base 29 of the toothbrush 26 resting in the open area 28 defined by the bristles 24. In this way any residual fluid 42 from the toothbrush 26 drains unto the open area 28 on the pad 12, rather than collecting on the vanity. Furthermore, the residual fluid 42 can be quickly rinsed from the pad 12 each time the toothbrush 26 is employed for brushing teeth. In this way the toothbrush 26 can be stored in a hygienic manner.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

I claim:
 1. A toothbrush storage assembly for holding a toothbrush when the toothbrush is not being employed, said assembly comprising: a pad being comprised of a hydrophobic material wherein said pad is configured to inhibit fluids from adhering to said pad; a lip being coupled to said pad wherein said lip is configured to inhibit fluid from spilling off of said pad; and a plurality of bristles, each of said bristles being coupled to and extending upwardly from said pad wherein said plurality of bristles is configured to have a toothbrush scrubbed on said bristles for cleaning the toothbrush, said plurality of bristles being arranged to define on open area on said pad wherein said open area is configured to accommodate a toothbrush when the toothbrush is stood on said pad for storage.
 2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein: said pad has a top surface, a bottom surface and a perimeter edge extending between said top surface and said bottom surface, said perimeter edge having a plurality of intersecting sides such that said pad has a rectangular shape; and said lip extends upwardly from said top surface of said pad, said lip being aligned with said perimeter edge of said pad, said lip extending along a full length of each of said intersecting sides of said perimeter edge.
 3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein each of said bristles extends upwardly from said top surface of said pad, said plurality of bristles having a boundary being inset from said lip, said boundary having a plurality of intersecting sides, each of said intersecting sides of said boundary being oriented parallel with a respective one of said intersecting sides of said perimeter edge of said pad such that said boundary defines a rectangular shape.
 4. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein said rectangular shape defined by said boundary is centrally positioned on said pad wherein said bristles are configured to surround a base of the toothbrush when the base of the toothbrush is positioned in said rectangular shape defined by said boundary.
 5. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein each of said bristles has a distal end with respect to said top surface of said pad, said distal end of each of said bristles being tapered to a point.
 6. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of said bristles is comprised of a deformable material wherein said plurality of bristles is configured to resist deforming bristles on the head of the toothbrush when the bristles on the head of the toothbrush are scrubbed on the bristles on the pad.
 7. A toothbrush storage assembly for holding a toothbrush when the toothbrush is not being employed, said assembly comprising: a pad being comprised of a hydrophobic material wherein said pad is configured to inhibit fluids from adhering to said pad, said pad having a top surface, a bottom surface and a perimeter edge extending between said top surface and said bottom surface, said perimeter edge having a plurality of intersecting sides such that said pad has a rectangular shape; a lip being coupled to said pad wherein said lip is configured to inhibit fluid from spilling off of said pad, said lip extending upwardly from said top surface of said pad, said lip being aligned with said perimeter edge of said pad, said lip extending along a full length of each of said intersecting sides of said perimeter edge; and a plurality of bristles, each of said bristles being coupled to and extending upwardly from said pad wherein said plurality of bristles is configured to have a toothbrush scrubbed on said bristles for cleaning the toothbrush, said plurality of bristles being arranged to define on open area on said pad wherein said open area is configured to accommodate a base of the toothbrush when the toothbrush is stood on said pad for storage, each of said bristles extending upwardly from said top surface of said pad, said plurality of bristles having a boundary being inset from said lip such that said boundary defines said open area of said pad, said boundary having a plurality of intersecting sides, each of said intersecting sides of said boundary being oriented parallel with a respective one of said intersecting sides of said perimeter edge of said pad such that said boundary defines a rectangular shape, said rectangular shape defined by said boundary being centrally positioned on said pad wherein said bristles are configured to surround a base of the toothbrush when the base of the toothbrush is positioned in said rectangular shape defined by said boundary, each of said bristles having a distal end with respect to said top surface of said pad, said distal end of each of said bristles being tapered to a point, each of said bristles on said pad being comprised of a deformable material wherein said plurality of bristles on said pad is configured to resist deforming bristles on the head of the toothbrush when the bristles on the head of the toothbrush are scrubbed on said bristles on said pad.
 8. A toothbrush storage system for holding a toothbrush when the toothbrush is not being employed, said assembly comprising: a toothbrush having a head and a base; a pad being comprised of a hydrophobic material wherein said pad is configured to inhibit fluids from adhering to said pad, said pad having a top surface, a bottom surface and a perimeter edge extending between said top surface and said bottom surface, said perimeter edge having a plurality of intersecting sides such that said pad has a rectangular shape; a lip being coupled to said pad wherein said lip is configured to inhibit fluid from spilling off of said pad, said lip extending upwardly from said top surface of said pad, said lip being aligned with said perimeter edge of said pad, said lip extending along a full length of each of said intersecting sides of said perimeter edge; and a plurality of bristles, each of said bristles being coupled to and extending upwardly from said pad, said plurality of bristles having said toothbrush scrubbed on said bristles for cleaning said toothbrush, said plurality of bristles being arranged to define on open area on said pad, said open area accommodating said base of said toothbrush when said toothbrush is stood on said pad for storage, each of said bristles extending upwardly from said top surface of said pad, said plurality of bristles having a boundary being inset from said lip such that said boundary defines said open area of said pad, said boundary having a plurality of intersecting sides, each of said intersecting sides of said boundary being oriented parallel with a respective one of said intersecting sides of said perimeter edge of said pad such that said boundary defines a rectangular shape, said rectangular shape defined by said boundary being centrally positioned on said pad, said base of said toothbrush resting on said bristles when said base of said toothbrush is positioned in said rectangular shape defined by said boundary, each of said bristles having a distal end with respect to said top surface of said pad, said distal end of each of said bristles being tapered to a point, each of said bristles on said pad being comprised of a deformable material such that said plurality of bristles on said pad resist deforming bristles on said head of said toothbrush when said bristles on said head of said toothbrush are scrubbed on said bristles on said pad. 